This invention relates to an audio-visual system for providing synchronous audio and visual displays. More specifically, this invention relates to a novel audio-visual system for personalized use.
Audio-visual systems are well known in the prior art of the type including light production apparatus responsive to an audio input, typically music. These systems comprise frequency responsive electronics for driving a plurality of colored lamps which illuminate a display surface with a rhythmic pattern of varying colors and light intensities. This pattern is normally synchronized with an audio output typically in the form of stereophonic music to provide a pleasing and entertaining multi-media production of colors, lights, and sound.
A variety of these audio-visual systems are available in the prior art. In one common form, these systems comprise a plurality of relatively high power projection lamps driven by frequency sensitive electronic circuitry for projecting light onto a projection screen. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,085. While these projection systems are well adapted for viewing by large audiences, their size, cost, and power requirements make them ill-suited for personal or private use by an individual.
Another common prior art technique comprises the use of somewhat smaller lamps driven by frequency sensitive electronic circuitry and contained within a closed housing. The lamps when illuminated project light patterns onto the rear of a translucent screen forming one wall of the housing, whereby the light patterns may be viewed from the front of the screen. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,474,774; 3,550,497; 3,736,832; and 4,000,679. Alternately, the light may be supplied to fiber optic spray assemblies, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,215, for viewing directly, or reflection off mirrors, etc. Again, however, these projection systems may be relatively expensive, and typically require substantial power input for providing sufficient light intensity to overcome the natural lighting clutter found in most rooms. Moreover, these projection devices are designed primarily for viewing by several individuals at one time, and therefore are not ideally suited for personal or private use.
Some audio-visual systems are known in the prior art comprising personalized audio and visual components in combination. However, while these units have included audio and visual outputs, they have not provided an aesthetically pleasing and entertaining display of light patterns varying rhythmically in color and intensity in accordance with an audio signal. Instead, prior art units for personalized use have comprised relatively complicated camera and/or lens systems for imaging specific scenes or the like, such as those shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,050,870 and 3,784,738.
The invention of this application overcomes problems and disadvantages found in the prior art by providing an improved audio-visual system for personalized or private use. Specifically, the invention comprises a relatively simple system providing a pleasing visual display of varying color and light patterns correlating with an audio signal, wherein the unit is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use, and is uniquely adapted for private use by an individual.